The Princess Formula
by YesterdayTomorrowAndFantasy
Summary: Lil Quinton is a custodian at her favorite place - Disneyland. It is here that the characters and their descendants live happily ever after for the rest of forever. Or, at least, that was the plan.
1. Prologue

**Long time, no see, huh? As promised, _The Princess Formula _is back and better than before! Unimportant rambles have been snipped, characters have been redeveloped and drafted, and the plot has been (gasp!) outlined. I'm working on updating the old chapters, and hopefully there will be new ones up soon. **

**Thanks a bundle for reading, and I hope you enjoy!  
><strong>

**- Y.T.F.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I've never considered myself Disney Princess material, you know? I guess you could say my biggest problem is that I don't have the right "formula". Now, I know that sounds a bit odd. You're thinking, "A princess isn't some potion or math problem, Lil." But just let me explain.<p>

I'm around the royals all the time, and besides the fact that they're, you know, monarchial, they have defining characteristics that set them apart from the rest. Thus, I give you what I liked to call "The Disney Princess Formula." The first on the list is looks. You know the whole spiel about how everyone is beautiful? Well, Disney Princesses have this weird way of _radiating _without even trying. You'd never see a Disney princess caked with cosmetics, and there's a reason for that.

Next, they're all talented in one way or another. Be it singing, cooking, painting, or a way with animals, they've got a skill to fall back on if that whole "someday my prince will come" thing doesn't work out.

And, of course, they're kind. A true Disney Princess has no problem taking care of seven little men, even if one of them is Grumpy. When life gives her abuse, she makes an optimistic song.

But when you think about it, anyone could do all that. If looking natural, having a talent and being nice was all it took, anyone could be a princess. Or at least close to one. But there's one more part, something that doesn't happen all too often. Every single Princess, from Snow White to Rapunzel, has a story.

That's how they became so well known in the first place. Had it not been for her story, Snow White would have just been some obscure princess in the Renaissance Realm who married a nameless prince. But Snow was interesting. Walt found her one day, listened to her tale of the poison apple, then _boom! _She got her very own documentary that turned into complete hit. Because really, who doesn't love a story about a beautiful girl, love, and the triumph of good over evil.

So there it is, the secret ingredient to the Princess Formula: a story to tell.

I don't have that. I have two parents who love me and are very much alive. I never had an evil stepmother. My hair is very blonde, but not 70-feet long and magical. I knew boys who acted like beasts, but never had any enchantments over them. My first kiss happened under the neighbor's front porch when I was twelve. His breath smelt like a sewer, but it didn't wake me from a deep sleep. All my apples are poison-free.

My one claim to fame is that I work in the first of the Magic Kingdoms, which isn't saying much nowadays. Back when Walt was still around, people used to come from far and wide to visit the place where all those people and creatures from the documentaries lived. Now there's a few kingdoms throughout Realm Twenty, the original one being in my hometown of Celebration. My job is to sweep the streets of Disneyland, making sure every inch is spotless for the Royals, the residents, and the couple dozen elderly people that stop in for nostalgia's sake.

So, as I'm sure you've gathered, I'm nothing special. I can't think of a single good reason for Princess Lavinia, the great-granddaughter of Princess Aurora and Prince Philip, to ask me to meet her in the castle tomorrow. My alarm is set to go off in three hours and I haven't slept a wink.


	2. Chapter One: Good as Dead Anyways

**Hello again! ****Welcome to chapter one, which for those of you who followed the original story is really chapters one and two mashed together. ****Like before, the most important thing you need to know about the universe in TPF is that each era in time has its own continent, or "realm". Lil lives in Realm Twenty, because it's based off the twentieth century (the 50's, to be more precise)****. Princess Aurora is from the Renaissance Realm, Mary Poppins and Alice are from the Victorian Realm, and so on and so forth.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, the next one will be up soon! Thanks for reading.**

* * *

><p>To be honest, I have no idea what Cinderella was complaining about when she awoke to the chimes of Big Ben and a few twittering birds. In those hours before dawn, a cheerful group of animal friends would have been preferred over the screaming of my clock. Like each morning prior to that, everything that occurred immediately after slamming the alarm off is a bit of a blur.<p>

Bleary-eyed, I peered out my window. Pirates taught me how to predict the weather using one of their many rhymes. _Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning. _Lucky for me, there wasn't a hint of red in the sky. Back then, before this whole Princess thing started, it took me a grand total of fifteen minutes to get ready in the morning. And yes, that was including breakfast. The sun still wasn't up when I left the house, and my parents were snoring away in their bedroom.

The drive from Celebration Town to the train station was a short one. There wasn't much to look at, just street after street of manicured, colonial style houses, the same as every other home in Realm Twenty. On most days, the closer I got to the train station the more at ease I felt. However, that morning every inch felt like another step closer to my doom. As much as I hated my realm, I would have rather felt bored and lonely than… Than whatever was coming my way.

I parked my car and boarded the proud C.K. Holiday, the only train that could take you to the Kingdom. I moved as though being pulled by invisible strings onto the train and towards my usual spot next to the window. When I sat down, I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in my arms while I waited for my best friend to arrive. It didn't take long.

"Good morning, Lil!" trilled Abbie, short curls bouncing as she plopped into the seat next to me. "You're looking exceptionally… stale this morning."

I snorted. "That's one way of describing it."

I heard my friend chuckle and felt her soft hand stroke my unbrushed hair. Then, taking matters into her own hands, she began untangling the knots with her nimble fingers. With a hint of exasperation in her voice, she asked, "What's the matter now?"

"I'm a vandal, Abbie, a vandal," I said, not lifting my head from my arms. "Little pranks are one thing but oh, I blew it this time. You can just say goodbye to me now, Princess Lavinia is gonna kill me. She's gonna kill me and I'm gonna come back as a ghost and haunt the hell out of Alex."

"Don't swear!" She said, craning her neck to see if our supervisor was nearby.

"It's not like it matters, I'm good as dead anyways!"

"Okay now, Lil. Sit up and tell me what you did. Come on, sit up." Grumbling, I adjusted in my seat. I swear, when Abbie becomes your best friend, she also becomes your mother. She sat with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised, waiting to hear the audacity of what I'd done.

"Well, yesterday Alex got this new order in for this magic invisibility paint. We spent a good two hours mixing it all up, and when we were done, he dared me to-" I stuttered, I couldn't say it. "He dared me to… do something awful."

Abbie's brown eyes widened and then squinted in suspicion. "Wait a minute… Were you the one who…?"

I guess my expression said it all, because the next thing I knew Abbie was pounding at me with her small fists, and once again I was slouched in my seat. Only this time covering my face for protection.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Ouch! Abbie, stop!"

"Do you know how long it took me to scrape all that paint off? The one guest we had yesterday passed out because he thought he saw the _ghost _of Walt floating with Mickey! You're horrible, you- you neanderthal!"

It took everything I had to throw her off me. She would have kept going at it, too, had the blonde-haired, blue-eyed conductor not walked by and raised his eyebrows at her. Blushing, she smiled so her dimples showed before turning back to me. "You're awful and I hope you get fired." The train came to a halt, and Abbie flew out of her seat and stormed off the train, leaving me to chase after her. I stepped on to the Main Street platform, the chill of the late fall air numbing my nose and ears. I stopped for a moment and stood there, staring out at the empty street. Every possible surface had been decorated for the upcoming holidays, and a Christmas tree taller than the buildings rose up into the clear, morning sky. It filled the air with the sharp scent of pine. Beyond the tree I could see the _Partners _statue of Walt and Mickey holding hands, the remains of the invisible paint giving the base of the statue a slight translucent look.

"Yup," I muttered. "I'm fired."

The locker rooms at Disneyland are tucked in an eastern alley at the center of Main Street. I followed the small throng of people headed in that direction, rubbing their palms together and eager to escape the morning's cold. Inside, my friend was changing into her uniform with that exaggerated fury that was both frightening and amusing. I made sure to approach with caution, knowing that there was seldom emotional stability with her. "Abbie, you know I didn't mean to give you extra work. I wouldn't have done it if I'd known."

She slammed the door of her locker and looked down her nose at me, which was quite an accomplishment seeing as I'm over a foot taller than her.

"Please, Abbie," I begged. "I'm real sorry."

Bit by bit, her expression melted into a reluctant smile. She reached over and rasped her knuckles on the locker room bench. "Knock on wood for earlier. I hope I didn't jinx you or anything."

"I hope not, either," I said while I twisted the dial on my lock. My supervisor's voice echoed off the tiled walls, "Hurry up and clock in!" I threw my uniform on, pinning my name tag to the green custodial coat I wore over my clean, starched whites. The uniform is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries among the sweeps. Who on earth decided white was a good color choice, and had he been fired yet? I contemplated this while Abbie walked alongside me to the supplies cupboard. We each pulled out a push broom and a belt, which contained a rag and bottle of cleanser. I was almost tempted to leave them behind, figuring I wouldn't be needing them anyways.

"I have to sweep up the entrance," she said over her shoulder, leaving me fiddling with my broom in agitation. "Let me know how things go with Lavinia."

I nodded and headed off in the opposite direction, straight towards the castle. Other sweeps darted this way and that, fishing garbage out of flowerbeds and making their way to their designated areas. My assignment sheet had been blank - which only added to my anxiety. Here's a little secret about me: I'm sort of a crybaby. I try not to let anyone notice, but oftentimes my emotions get the better of me. I'm telling you, it took everything I had not to break down and sob right there. I was already making mental plans to move to the other end of Realm Twenty, where the second Disney Kingdom was. Granted, I was going to have to hitch-hike there, but a Disney kid's gotta do what a Disney kid's gotta do.

Dragging my broom behind me, I shuffled over the drawbridge and entered the courtyard. I'd seen old pictures of this place in a photo album filled with polaroids my dad took when he was my age. In one, the young Princess Lavinia was playing a violin as a group of guests danced around her. I asked him about it once, and he recalled with that fond look in his eye that she could play any song you asked of her - be it the latest swing tune or something straight out of the Renaissance Realm. Sometimes she sang, too, but most of the time she let her instruments do the singing for her.

Only the Disneyland Residents and the most experienced staff members knew where to find the entrance to the Sleeping Beauty family's castle. Most expect something grand and lavish, so they overlook the non-assuming little wooden door next to the archway that leads to Frontierland. I knew better, though. As soon as my trembling hand made contact with the door, it flew open. A doorman, standing tall and proud took one look at my name tag and stepped aside. "Her Royal Highness is waiting for you in the throne room, Miss Quinton. Please wipe your feet before entering, the floors have just been shined."

I gave the doorman a nod as I entered the tiny stairway, him closing the door behind me. As I climbed higher and higher up the steep steps, I couldn't help but notice how out of place the cold, windowless stone walls were for such a cheery-looking castle. With each step I felt the unmistakable tingle of magic at all of my ends. There must have been some sort of enchantment to reveal dangerous persons, because when I reached the last step the feeling disappeared at once, and an opulent door materialized in front of me. There was the fancy doorway everyone expected.

Just like the door downstairs, all I had to do was touch it for it to be opened. Taking care to wipe the dirt off my feet, I entered the long, sun-lit room where the Princess sat on her throne at the end. Stumbling a bit, I scurried forward, the water in my eyes making it impossible to take anything in. When I reached the throne, I attempted to crusty. I say "attempted" because I wasn't wearing a skirt, and you have no idea how hard it is to crusty without a skirt to cover your legs, especially when you're as ungraceful as me.

"G-g-good morning, Your Highness," I stuttered, cursing my old speech impediment that liked to rear its ugly head in the worst of circumstances.

"Good morning, Miss Quinton." I was far too scared to make eye contact, so I stared at her feet. She had pretty shoes and wore a blue, tea-length dress. Like many of the things she owned, it was imported from the Renaissance Realm, as that was where her great-grandmother, Princess Aurora, was from. Most of the royals stick to their roots. I'm pretty sure it's a requirement. "I am sure you are curious as to why I have called you here."

"Yes, Your Highness." There was a struggle to hold back the tears. I bit my lip and clenched my broom's handle, knuckles turning white.

"I have an urgent favor to ask of you," she said, and my head shot up so fast it was lucky I didn't get whiplash.

"Anything!" I said, and quickly added, "Your Highness" followed by another awkward curtsy for good measure. Her lips were smiling in that way that only someone with years of Princess training could. Like Aurora, her features were sharp and angular, but her hair was a chestnut color. Her gloved hands were cupped in her lap. I knew she wore gloves because her fingers were callused from instruments, and she was ashamed. Princesses aren't supposed to have rugged hands. But then she smiled with her teeth and I was swept up in all the beauty - her, the castle, and my good luck.

"Tonight, I am hosting a meeting of utmost importance that many of my dearest friends will be attending."

I knew when she said "my dearest friends" what she meant was the rest of the Disney Royals, descendants of the original Princesses.

"Unfortunately," she continued, "my waitress, Misses Anna, has fallen ill. If it is not too much to ask, would you be her substitute?"

I stalled for a moment. "Oh, Your Highness, are you sure? Surely there's someone else-"

"Miss Quinton," she interrupted in a way that was very un-Princess-y of her. "You are the most diligent worker on my staff. I would not entrust this job to anyone else."

When I blushed at her compliment, she added in, "Besides, I think you have cleaned out the moat enough times to receive a more fun task."

I beamed at her. "Then it would be an honor."

"Good." I caught her eyeing me over, no doubt scrutinizing my tiered, bloodshot eyes and sloppy hair. "You may take the rest of the day off. I will have a clean uniform waiting for you in your locker. Please be here at five 'o clock."

"Yes, Your Highness. Thank you so much!"

"Thank _you_, Miss Quinton. You are doing me quite the favor, and I appreciate it."

I gave the kind, beautiful, intelligent, talented, _wonderful _Princess a final curtsy and bound for the exit, dancing with my broom as I went.


	3. Chapter Two: Wait for a Miracle

**Oh my goodness, this is a long one. So the author's note will be short. Thanks for reading, please enjoy.**

**- Y.T.F.**

* * *

><p><em>Glorious<em> is the only way I can think to describe the nap and bath I took when I arrived back home. Not even the royals could have been as meticulous as I was as I scrubbed, shaved, and moisturized. Cleanliness is sort of my obsession, which is why I make such a good sweep; not a speck of dust gets past me. At three o' clock I climbed back in the old Austin A40 and chugged down to the train station. A new do-wop was playing on the radio, and I sang along loud and with flair. My hair was still wet from the bath, so I rolled the windows down and let the crisp afternoon air dry (and tangle) my blonde fringe.

When I got back to the Kingdom, I discovered a clean uniform hanging in my locker. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what I found. A navy blue dress, white waist-apron, gloves, and gray, flat shoes had been placed with care. I wrinkled my nose at the petticoat that was hanging next to the dress, expecting it to be itchy and awful like the ones I have at home. However, when I slipped the clothes on I found that everything fit _and _was rather time to spare, I undid Abbie's locker and took out her "beauty box", applying her make-up to my face with clumsy fingers. As a final touch, I pulled my hair up in a bun. Feeling rather confident, stepped outside.

I remember that I felt on top of the world, and like nothing in the universe could bring me down. It was one of the last times of simplicity, when I was just Lil Quinton, happy to be Lil Quinton and nobody else. But I'll get to that later. First I want to tell you about Alex.

Next to Abbie, Alexander Lloyd is my best friend. I met him over a year ago, when I first got my job at Disneyland. I was heading back to the train depot after my interview when I saw him there, looking very desperate as he begged some of the staff for something.

"Please, just this one time!" he pleaded, hands folded in a prayer-like position. "I promise I won't ever ask again!"

"No way!" said one, taking a step back. "Not after last time!"

One thing I'm not good as is being subtle. Alex must have noticed me gawking at the scene he was making, because he called out, "Hey, would you please help me, Miss?"

I was too curious to refuse. Turns out Alex was the Main Street Magic Shop owner's apprentice. His dream was, in his own words, "to be as great as Merlin one day!" However, becoming a true magician when you're not a born wizard requires lots of practice. And in magic, practice requires a guinea pig. That afternoon, he managed to make me levitate a whole inch off the ground. Granted, he also turned my hair green and made all the lights on the street go out, but that brief moment of flight was enough to keep me coming back.

With time to spare, I sauntered into the shop. I cleared my throat and sang out as sweet as I could, "Oh, Alexander! Your favorite person in the world here to visit!"

"Psh, favorite person, very fu- Hey! What happened to you, Lil?" He jumped out from behind the counter and approaching me. I smiled, head held high.

"What do you think?" I asked, rolling up onto my toes and then back down again.

"Did the fairy godmother feel sorry for you or something?" he teased, circling me with his arms crossed over his chest. "Better not stay out to late. You wouldn't want to turn back into a sweep in the middle of your ball."

"Ha ha, very funny." I crossed the threshold and hopped onto the counter, my usual seat when visiting the shop. Alex reached in a pantry behind the register and grabbed a duster, then began going over the shelves of untouched magic tricks and pranks.

"So," he began, knocking down a cobweb, "what's with the fancy getup?"

"I _happen _to have a special job at the castle tonight," I said, putting on my most pretentious tone of voice. "The Royals are coming for an important meeting, and I've been invited to help with the- uh- _dinner arrangements._"

"Dinner arrangements" sounded much nicer than "shuffling plates around".

Alex nodded in approval, a look of respect that I didn't get to see too often crossing over his face. It's not that we don't appreciate another or anything, we just prefer to spend our time pushing each other's buttons. That being said, I relished in his admiration until he piped up, "Hey, will Princess Jacqueline be there?"

"Uh, I think so. Why?"

"Just wondering… Man, now there's a _real _beauty!" He sighed and stopped his dusting a moment, giving a dream-like stare at the floating particles of grime. "I like her better than stuffy Lavinia. I think it's the way she talks. Have you notice she never uses contractions? Not ever!"

I scowled at him. Sometimes he has this way of making me so angry! You can't just say someone's a nice piece of work, especially when you've got this look on your face like you're admiring one of those naked greek statues. _How insensitive!_

"You shouldn't talk that way about the princess, Alex."

All I got out of him was a nonchalant "hm." Then, he turned his back to me once again and continued cleaning. Something about him was beginning to annoy me, so I jumped off the counter and headed to the door. "I gotta go now. Remind me to punch you in the face later, I don't wanna mess up my clothes. See you later."

"See you," he said, not even bothering to move away from his work. Fuming, I stormed down Main Street, hoping the wind's chill cool me down. The sun had disappeared from the sky, and the thousands of lights that lined each and every building, tree, and fence turned on, illuminating the places there had been shadows. No one else was around to see it.

Lavinia was not in the throne room when I arrived. The doorman, sensing my confusion as I wandered from doorway to doorway, lead in the in the right direction. The castle was full of an eerie silence, as Lavinia has no husband or children to fill the air with sound. Our footsteps made loud tap-taps on the floor as we moved along through an archway that lead to a grand dining room, complete with an intricate chandelier. Princess Lavinia, who was looking rather pretty in her floor-length purple gown, stopped adjusting place cards for a moment to smile and point me through a swinging door, where I was greeted with warmth and the mouthwatering aroma of simmering food.

Here is where things start to get interesting. You see, up until that day, I'd only ever watched the Royals from afar. I knew all their names, faces, family trees, and talents. But the night I worked for Lavinia was the first time I ever got a candid view of life for the Disney Princesses. You see, before then I always thought it was easy. However, I soon learned that being a royal had many unspoken repercussions.

Tapping my foot, I stood by the door with a pitcher of water, peering through the kitchen door's window and waiting for the guests to take their seats. I named them off in my mind as they entered, mingled, and found their chairs.

_Black-haired, curvy Princess Elise, of the Snow White line. Lives in the Fantasyland forrest beyond the wishing well. Strong apple allergy._

_ Princess Glenda, decedent of Cinderella. Recently married. Spitting image of Cindy, except for the brown hair._

_ Princess Christine and the younger Princess Mina, great-great-granddaughters of Ariel. Hair kept short from hours of swimming. Freckles, which their mother is embarrassed of. _

_ Stupid Princess Jacqueline, from Belle's line. Pretentious French accent. Inherited the Beast's arrogance. Why on earth would stupid Alex like her anyways? Meh._

_ The animal-lover, Princess Layla. Descendant of Jasmine. Deep tan and long, braided hair. Nice girl, wouldn't even know she was a Royal at first glance._

_ The mysterious and silent Princess Pomahaum. Related to Pocahauntus. Spends most of her time in the forests of Frontierland with the rest of the tribe._

_ Princess Yvonne, who you can hear singing as she cooks in New Orleans Square. Makes the best Monte Cristo in the Kingdom. Princess Tiana's heir._

_ And at last, Disneyland's very own painter, Princess Adelaide. Descendant of the last of the Disney Princesses, Rapunzel. And oh, I can see you slipping your shoes off under the table, Adelaide, you sneaky thing you! _

They each sat in their designated places, Lavinia at the head of the table. Right on cue, I burst from the kitchen doors and began filling glasses with water. They were all making small talk with one another, as many of them hadn't visited in a long time. Princess Glenda, Jacqueline, Layla, and Adelaide don't live at Disneyland, but in another Kingdom in Realm Twenty. Despite the fact that they were smiling, I detected traces of concern behind everyone's eyes. It was, after all, more than just a little get-together. It was a meeting, and I had a feeling I knew what the main topic was going to be.

Now, I'm not much for politics. In all honesty, it confuses me more than the advanced calculous class I took in high school. I figure that nothing ever changes much in Realm Twenty, so I don't bother to pay attention to the going-ons there. However, Disneyland is like a whole other realm, and I've found myself with strong opinions on its public affairs. You see, while the royals have a lot of say in how the Kingdoms are managed, they don't have any influence on the documentaries. It used to be controlled by the Disney family, but after the last president died things started to change. After Amaya, the new president, took over, the documentaries weren't the same. As movie after movie failed, the Disney company becoming something of a joke. After a while, people stopped seeing the films.

Then they stopped coming to the Kingdoms.

The Disney Princesses and the rest of the Kingdom residents have been nick-named "Classics", the opposite of those in the new documentaries, the "Moderns". Disneyland is Classic territory, while the park next door is where the Moderns stay. Most of the Classics have a fierce hatred for the Moderns, and even though I'm technically not a resident, I share their prejudice.

For the next hour and a half I did my best to appear composed as I rushed plate after plate in and out of the kitchen. Sometimes I'd catch myself running, and it was lucky custodial work had made balancing large, heavy quantities easy. It was like being stuck at the center of a whirlwind - being pushed and pulled and spinning this way and that. When the dessert plates were cleared, everything came to a sudden halt. Much to my relief, the only job I had left was to stand in the corner with a pitcher of water and a bottle of wine, refilling glasses when they reached the halfway mark. On the off chance pigs flew and someone spilt something, I had a towel at the ready. It's here that the meeting began and everything changed.

Princess Lavinia stood and tapped on her glass, bringing everyone to attention. "I would like to propose a toast," she said, holding up her wine goblet. "To the romance and magic that brought us here today!"

"Cheers!" There was the clinking of glasses, followed by delicate sips.

Lavinia smiled and continued. "Now, before we get to the meeting, Christine has informed me that she has an announcement to make. Christine, go right ahead."

The freckle-faced girl who was only a few years older than I stood up, the rest of the Princesses looking up at her with expressions of polite interest.

"I have wonderful news!" she gushed, and by the blush in her cheeks and the look in her green eyes I knew what she was going to say before she said it. "I've fallen in love; we're getting married!"

There was a commotion as the royals burst into applause, some of them even shedding tears of happiness.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" said Elise. "Who is the lucky man?"

The group quieted down as they looked with anticipation at the smiling Christine. Then I noticed something strange - she wasn't wearing an engagement ring. Then I saw young Mina, her sister, fidget with her glass and look away. Something was off.

"Well, you see," she said, still smiling, "he's a merman."

"Oh!" said Elise, eye widening. "Well, we can get the fairies together right away and give him a pair of-"

"Give _me _a pair of fins. I want to become a mermaid."

It was a miracle I didn't spill my pitcher of water. The entire room became dead silent; even the harpist stopped mid-song. Mina was clenching her fists and furrowing her eyebrows, but no one seemed to notice. All eyes were on the older Princess, who had essentially just requested to step down from Princess Ariel's heir to common merfolk. She had zeroed in on Lavinia, though, who she seemed to be communicating with telepathically. Just when I was getting ready to head back in the kitchen to escape the awkwardness, Lavinia broke Christine's stare and spoke up.

"We have always said 'love above all else', and I stand by that statement. Congratulations, Christine. As soon as you are ready, I will send for the fairies to make the transition."

Christine beamed, thanked Lavinia, and sat down, the tension somewhat lessoned. Lavinia stood again and cleared her throat, refocusing the attention on her and the affair they had met to discuss.

"Now, then, if we do not get to the matter at hand I am afraid we will be here all night."

"It's a shame we have to talk about this in the first place," said Yvonne.

"I know. It is upsetting to all of us, and I would much rather sit and converse about more lighthearted things. Instead, I have to be the bearer of bad news." Her eyes were downcast, and every person in the room was holding on for her next words. I felt like I was teetering in the edge of a cliff, and her next statement pushed me over. "I have been told that, at this rate, the Disney company will be out of funds by Summer."

I couldn't hold back my gasp, and it was mingled the chorus delicate cries from the woman at the table. The announcement launched the princessess into the closest thing to pandemonium I'd ever seen. If Disney went bankrupt, what would happen to the Kingdoms? What would happen to the residents? What would happen to _me?_

My question was voiced be Pomahaum, her fear evident even through her thick accent. "What will happen if the Kingdoms close? We may be able to return to our ancestor's previous realms, but many of the others have no other home. Think of Mickey and Minnie, where would they go?"

But her question was only met with more frantic chatter, Lavinia trying in vain to quiet everyone down without raising her own voice.

Somewhere out there, pigs began to fly as Mina knocked over her glass of water in an attempt to stand up on her chair. I rushed forward and began mopping up her mess, not even feeling surprised as she put her fingers in her mouth and gave a sharp whistle, successfully silencing the group. Christine was tugging on her sister's dress, trying to get her to sit back down, but Mina paid no mind.

"Everyone, we can't give up!" she said, speaking with passion to the open-mouthed older woman below her. "From the beginning, our ancestors have been pushed around. Cinderella, forced to be a maid. Rapunzel, locked in a tower. My own great-great-grandmother forbidden to see the one she loved! But everything changed as soon as someone stood up and _took action! _Now isn't the time to stand by and wait for a miracle, we need to honor our history and _do _something!"

Everyone was staring at the girl on the chair. Her small fists, which she had moved with enthusiasm during her speech, eased back down to her sides. Her eyes darted from face to face, and my heart went out to her. _What a strong child. _

_ "_There must be something we can do. Doesn't anyone have an idea? _Anything?_"

"How about a new Princess?" piped up Adelaide, and the eyes of the royals shifted away from.

Jacqueline sneered and raised her eyebrows. "You can't just _make _a Disney Princess, Adelaide."

"Perhaps not," she rebutted, "but you _can _set all the conditions for what does: magic and romance."

And it was then that I had an idea.


	4. Chapter Three: Finally Arriving Home

**Hello, hello! Chapter three is here! I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading!**

**- Y.T.F.**

* * *

><p>When I came home late that night, exhausted and emotional, sleep came with ease. There was no need to lie awake, plotting. My epiphany had arrived in a neat little box tied with a bow, complete with everything I needed to do. I had spent the remainder of the meeting trying to blend into the background, listening to the royals and forming my own scheme around theirs. My last thoughts before I drifted off to sleep were of the first time my parents ever took me to Disneyland, and that wonderful feeling of finally arriving home after being away for a long time. I thought of the first boy I ever kissed back when I was ten, and how he had teased me when he found out I liked Disney documentaries. I thought how happy I had been when I graduated from High School and got the job as a custodian. I would have swept 'til the end of my days and been perfectly happy.<p>

But now Disneyland, my home, was closing. Unless…

I swept with a vengeance the next day, going so far as to climb up to the very top of a ladder to knock down a cobweb on a shop window in Fantasyland. Peter Pan tried to knock me off, but I was feeling so sentimental about everything that all I did was smile at him, gaining a jealous glare from Tinker Bell. Around one 'o clock, my work day was over and the afternoon crew was rolling in. Abbie invited me to go shopping with her in celebration for not getting fired, but I turned her down. "I need to talk with Alex about something and it may take a while. Sorry, Abbie."

"It's alright. Maybe tomorrow, then. See you!" She twiddled her fingers at me while she headed for the train, oblivious to the dire situation we were all in. I had considered telling her all that I knew, but decided against it, at least for now. Alex had to be the first to know.

Before I went to the Magic Shop, though, I stepped into the Penny Arcade. The building didn't have any doors, just a wide, open front that beckoned people to come in, drop their coins in the machines, and play. Front and center of the arcade was a small table where the infamous fortune teller, Esmeralda, sat shuffling her tarot cards. I liked Esme a lot, because she was one of the most consistent things about Disneyland. There must have been some good magic in her, because she has lived in the same place on Main Street since the Kingdom opened. It was the only house on the entire street, wedged between the Silhouette Studio and China Closet shops. She even had a front porch, complete with chairs. On the second story was where her old practice used to be, and your could still see the sign advertising Esmeralda Fargo's Palm Parlor. Today in her old age, she spends most of her time giving out fortunes for mere change in the arcade.

"Good afternoon, Esmeralda." I smiled, walking towards her table.

"Why hello there, child. I knew you would be visiting today. You would like a reading." She gave me a toothy grin right back. A few of her remaining teeth were capped with silver and gold.

"Of course you did, Esme. You know everything. How much are your charging for fortunes?"

"Twenty-five cents." I dropped two coins into the jar on her table, making sure to tip the old woman. She pulled out a deck of blank, white cards. Spreading them with her wrinkled fingers, she ordered me to pick one. Feeling bold, I chose the one farthest to the right. She set down the rest of the deck and covered my card with her hand. I kept my fingers crossed, hoping it would bring me the good luck I needed. Then, Esmeralda began to speak.

"While you are not satisfied with your present condition, you must put up with it for a time. A change will surely come, but not in the manner you expect. You will join a club or society and will meet a member who will change your entire life, for by the influences of this friend you will meet others who will aid you to wealth and happiness. Your disposition is too romantic, but it will change and you will be able to retain and enjoy a high position in society. Your love of dress will make you some enemies, but they will not be able to harm you. Avoid riding on boats. You are fond of flowers and music and will find your life partner in one who is fond of them also. A garnet is your lucky stone and blue your lucky color. One of your lucky numbers is two."

And with that, she lifted her hand, the prophesy printed there in blue ink.

"I will never understand how you do that." I lifted the card and examined it, reading it over once more. "This was just the reassurance I needed. Thanks a lot, Esme. You take care!"

"Good luck!" she called after me, and I couldn't help but think of funny it was that she knew luck was what I was after. With one last look at my card, I stepped out out onto the empty street.

Now, Alex doesn't like to talk about himself much, but I knew better. Lawrence, the shop owner and most talented magician I'd met, told me everything. When Alex was just a baby, he arrived on the tiny gold dot under the castle that, according to legend, marks the center of Disneyland. Amaya found him there and gave him to Lawrence. Amaya never did tell Lawrence anything about Alex, except his name and that he was an orphan. It eats away at him sometimes, not knowing about his past. I can see it in his eyes. One thing is certain, though - the Kingdom is his home. Like Mickey and the rest of the toons, he doesn't fit anywhere else.

When I entered the shop, Alex was trying to light a candle with his wand. "Hey, Lil," he said. "Look, Lawrence taught me go to make a flame." He scrunched his eyebrows together, glared at the candle, and made a small, quick motion with his wand. It fizzled, smoked, and sparked, but no inferno.

I coughed and shuffled my feet. This was going to be a difficult conversation. "Hey, uh, Alex? Can I talk to you?"

He put his wand down and looked at me with concern. "Sure. What is it?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Actually, I was thinking that maybe we could talk upstairs? I mean, if you don't mind closing up shop for a bit."

"No, I guess that's fine. There hasn't been any business today, anyways." He moved from his place behind the register and jumped to reach a small pull-string that dangled from the ceiling in the back corner. One strong tug, and a ladder came sliding down with ease. "After you, m'lady."

Feigning a smile, I crawled up the ladder and into the tiny studio Alex and Lawrence shared. I strode across the floor and sat down on the single bed that was pushed up against the one window in the apartment. It moaned when I sat, springs sensitive to even the slightest movement.

"So, what is the big secret you have to tell me?" said Alex, doing his best to hide his nervousness. He pulled up a chair and sat across from me, but I didn't make eye contact. Instead, I fiddled with a loose string on the faded patchwork quilt.

"It's about the meeting last night. I overheard something. Something you're not going to be happy about." I turned my head even more, wishing I could be like an owl and turn it all the way around. "It's about the Kingdoms. Nobody's visiting anymore. I only passed one person on my way over here."

"Well, yeah. Things have been that way for years, Lil. It's just a dry spell is all."

"No, but the thing is, it's not. We keep saying it is, that all of a sudden people are gonna start coming like they did in the old days, but they won't." I took a deep breath, like I was preparing to dive into a deep, cold pool. I hate water, I really do. "Princess Lavinia said that unless people start seeing the documentaries and visiting the parks, the company is going under. By Summer, the Kingdoms will be closed."

I was tempted to cover my head, in fear of the rage that would follow. Alex Isn't one to blow up or even get angry, but oh, when he does, it is terrible. However, he didn't go into a fit the way had I expected. He buried his face in his hands, falling silent. I thought maybe he'd never move again.

"I think I have a plan, though, Alex. Something I can do. Something _we_ can do."

"_What?_" There it was, that anger. Bubbling, brewing, about to boil over.

"Well, the royals are planning to throw a ball in the spring. They said they're going to invite a bachelor prince, because maybe someone would fall in love with him and become a Princess. But then I was thinking about how nobody ever goes to Disney balls anymore, let alone any suitable maidens." I swallowed. This was the part I was nervous about. "I was thinking that if the prince fell in love with me, then it would make a good story, like back in the old days. You know, common custodian wins the heart of a Prince. Then people would want to watch the documentary and Disney would be saved and… yeah."

I realized about halfway through when Alex began shaking his head at me that everything I said sounded ridiculous.

"And what am I supposed to do, huh? Can't you just whirl off to the ball and seduce the stupid prince on your own?"

"Look at me, Alex," I retorted, mattress clanking as I stood up. I gestured to my own, very un-Princess-like form. "I'm a fangirl sweeper from Realm Twenty. I don't know how to whirl off to a ball or win over a prince, and you're the one person I knew who cares enough to help me."

I stared at him in earnest, watching his brown eyes shift from angry, to sad, to surrender.

"Alright. I'll help."

My arms went limp at my sides. "You will?"

"Yes, I will," he said, sighing and rubbing his temples. A striped suspender that clashed with his over-sized shirt slipped off his shoulder, and he didn't even bother to adjust it. As I reached over and fixed it for him, he gave a small smile and added, "Looks like you've already got cleanliness down."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Now I just need the beautiful voice and a face to match it."

With a groan, he stood for the rickety wooden chair, stretched, and shuffled towards the ladder. I followed close behind, smiling at the tiny room my friend called home. I knew he was embarrassed by it, but I couldn't think of any place more perfect.

The first step we took was drawing up a list. I sat criss-cross on top of the counter, scribbling the various traits that came to mind when we thought of Disney Princesses onto a piece of paper.

"Manners, knowing which side of the plate your fork goes on, dancing…" Alex mused.

"M-hmm."

"They all stand like they're wearing back braces."

"Alright," I said, jotting down _sit up straight_.

"They're kind. Kind, patient, and humble."

"Uh-huh."

"They're all good at something, like singing."

"Slow down a second, what was that last one? Kind, patient, and helpful?"

"_Humble_." He peeked over at my paper. "Add good penmanship to the list. Jiminy Cricket, Lil, how do you even read that?"

"Well you write if it's so bad!" I said, chucking the pencil at him.

"Ow! Princesses do _not_ throw things!" He flipped the page over to the clean side and restarted our agenda, writing in tall, neat cursive. I stuck my tongue out and crossed my eyes, but that was just to cover the fact that on the inside I was gawking at his annoying amount of talent for everything from handwriting to chess. Except magic. I'm telling you, that boy is terrible at magic.

After about an hour of mulling over all the general traits that make up a Princess, Alex set down his pencil and lifted the page to his eyes. "It looks like we have six main points with lots of little things under them," he said. "There's poise, manners, intelligence, talent, personality, -"

"And appearance."

Alex adjusted the paper and crossed something out. "I think you need to work on your confidence before you worry about how to style your hair, Princess."

I gaped at him, then snapped, "I have plenty of confidence!"

Alex didn't seem to hear, though. He just nodded and kept on scrutinizing the list, jotting down a few more things when they came to mind. When he looked up at me, he said, "You know, I think we should change your name."

"What? Why? What's the matter with Princess Lil?"

"Well, it's short for something, isn't it? Think of all the original Princesses, they never went by nick-names. I mean, I can't even _spell _Pocahauntus, but did she go by Poco just to make it easier on poor saps like me? No!"

"I guess that makes sense. But I don't really like my full name," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"What is it? 'Lily'?"

"No, you're close, though. It's Lilium." I stuck my tongue out, not liking the way the name flowed off my tongue. Nobody ever called me Lilium, not even my parents.

"Lilium, Lilium… Lilium Quinton. Princess Lilium. You know, it kind of works. Liliums are flowers, aren't they?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. What in the world are you doing?" He have dove underneath the counter, bobbing to the surface a second later with a dust-covered tome entitled "Flowers of the World". Releasing it with a thud, he began flipping through the fragile papers, muttering "liliums, liliums…"

"Aha!" he said, pointing at an illustration. He lifted his chin and smiled, rather proud of his discovery. "There you are! That's what you're named after."

I glanced at the image on the page, and then looked up at Alex with suspicion. "Alex, why do you have a huge book on flowers? Should _you _be the one we turn into a Princess?"

He snapped the book shut. "Any aspiring magician has one of these! You gotta know your flowers if you want to be any good."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Princess Alexander." He shoved me off the counter and I laughed, letting myself forget for a moment all that awaited us.


	5. Chapter Four: That Was All, Miss Amaya

**Hello, all! Sorry it took a while to update, I was out where there was no internet service. The good news is, tonight I have two chapters for you, the next of which is almost completely new. Yay for new stuff! Just need to finish up editing and I'll have it up. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading!**

**- Y.T.F.**

* * *

><p>My parents were a little alarmed when I started limiting my ice cream intake to two scoops a day, rather than my usual five. They were even more surprised when I moved my stained pants to the back of my closet and began wearing skirts, smiling through the itchiness of the petticoat. But I don't think they ever quite got over the shock of the day I arrived home from work, quite literally a different person.<p>

The day started off nice enough. I worked with perpetual cheer, going as far as to whistle while I worked, a la Snow White. (I tried singing, but found that my tiny vocal range made it more embarrassing than attractive.) It was a busy day, full of strange and unexpected tasks. Stuttering, trembling Piglet grabbed me away while I was emptying trash bins to tell me that Pooh Bear was, once again, stuck up a honey tree. With some coaxing, I managed to inspire a disheartened Tigger and frightened Piglet to bounce the bear out of the tree. Although we did succeed in getting him down, he landed right in a patch of thistles and I spent the next hour playing Fish-the-Spikes-out-of-Pooh's-Rear.

As you'd expect, I was exhausted and feeling rather un-Princessy by the time I reached the locker room. The feeling was only heightened when I had to turn Abbie down for the second time in a row. I was tempted to ditch Alex and spend the afternoon with her, but knew I couldn't quit before I even got started. So, with a grudging glance at the train station, I trudged towards the Magic shop.

When I walked in, Alex was flipping through a large book entitled, _The Modern Lady's Guide to Being a Lady_, folding over certain pages and writing in the margins. "Are you sure we're after the _modern_ look," I said, standing across the counter from him. "Don't we want something more… _classic_?"

"Oh, don't worry, I won't let you become a Modern," he said, wrinkling his nose at the very thought. "Mrs. Stephan didn't have any other books about posture, though, so I figured we'd start here."

"I thought all you had to do for good posture was walk while balancing stuff on your head."

"I thought so, too," he said, adjusting the page so I could see the microscopic print. "I guess there's a lot more to it than we thought, though. Go stand back in that corner, and I'll tell you how to stand. Then we'll work on walking."

I obliged, moving to the spot he'd pointed to. "Alrighty. What's the first step, Teacher?"

He squinted at the book, finger following along to keep his place. "Stand with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of each foot. _Not _your heels."

I propped myself up so that I no longer leaned to one side, like your typical teenager. "Okay, now what?"

"Keep your feet about shoulder length apart."

"Like this?"

Alex snorted. "If you stretched any further you'd be doing the splits! You look ridiculous, move them in a bit more, a bit more… there! Perfect. Now, tuck your chin in a bit."

Having a difficult time taking his directions seriously, I pulled it all the way in so I had not a double, but _triple _chin. "Do I look like a princess, Alexander?"

"Gorgeous." He rolled his eyes and glanced back at the book. "Now put your head right. It says here it should be square with your neck and shoulders. Good! Alright, one last step. Put your shoulders up and stand tall. Imagine you're a Princess. You tower over everyone, even those who are taller than you. Everyone shrinks in your presence, because they bow with respect."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Oh yes, I could get used to this.

"Alright. Now, I'm going to put the flower book on your head, and when you feel balanced, walk towards me." I felt him lower the thick volume onto my head and take a careful step back. Eyes still closed, I imagined a field of Liliums and a violin playing my very own theme song. Then, feeling as light and lovely as a feather, I took my first step as a Princess.

And dropped the book.

I kicked and I swore, Alex emitting a stifled laugh at my frustration. I snatched the book off the ground, and returned it to the top of my head. It clattered to the ground the moment I let it go.

"What was that?" he guffawed, clutching at his sides. "You let it just flop off your head!"

"Hey, it's harder than it looks! You give it a try!" At my insistence, he placed it on his auburn head. I smirked while I waited for it to thud to the floor, but instead, he took five easy steps towards me.

"Hey, look, I'm doing it! This is easy!" He even threw in a little victory dance, and it refused to fall. I smacked the hardcover off his crown, irritated with his success.

"You cheated!" I said, trying to find an excuse. "I bet you used magic!"

"Lilium! I'm offended you would think so little of me!" He said, placing a hand over his heart with a melodramatic flourish. "I just happen to have perfect poise. It's too bad the tables aren't turned, huh Princess?"

Oh, how I wished I could have wiped that cocky little smile off his face. As he gave a snarky laugh, I snatched the book back and placed it on my head, trying once again to find my grace. I could stand at the top of ladders without fear and walk on ledges half the width of my own feet without the slightest stumble, yet I couldn't walk with a stupid book on my head. For an hour, I tried, failed, swore, cried, and tried again. Just when I was thinking of giving up, I adjusted the book and took my first successful step. Then I stopped in my tracks.

"Alex," I whispered, not wanting to move and make the book fall. "Alex! Look!"

He glanced up from the posture book, and there I was - a whole step away from the starting point.

"You did it, Lil!" he cried, leaping from the counter, but staying a good distance away from me. "You're one step closer to being the new Disney Princess!"

"I'm gonna save the Kingdoms, Alex!" I gushed, swept up in a wave of inspiration. I had just walked with a book on my head - I could go anywhere, do anything, be anyone! There was not a force in the world that could stop me from succeeding!

A strong, sharp voice came from the doorway. "What's all this about saving the Kingdoms?"

The book I worked so hard to balance clattered to the ground, along with my hope. Alex and I spun on the spot to face Amaya, the president of the Disney company. The room seemed to drop five degrees cooler, goosebumps forming on our arms. Everything about her, from her nose to her fingernails were sharp and pointed. Her crayon-red hair stopped at her chin, not a single strand out of place. She was beautiful, but in that horrible way that said, "Let me have my way, lest you pay the price." Alex and I knew she could see through any lie, so we remained silent under her prodding, artifically blue eyes.

"Well?" she demanded, without raising her voice above a normal level. "What are you two scheming?"

Alex and I shared a look; there was no way we were getting out of this one. I took a tentative step forward, head bowed and fingers fidgeting. "W-we weren't scheming anything bad, Miss Amaya. We were- we were only trying to help the company."

"How? How could making a bunch of noise and interrupting my work be helpful? I could hear you in my office all the way down the street!"

"We're so sorry," I said, bowing my head even lower and throwing everything I'd just learned about posture out the window. I wanted to curl myself up into a tiny ball and roll away. Instead, I rushed the words out as fast as I could, hoping that it would be like ripping a bandaid off. "I overheard that the Kingdoms were going to close and now there's a prince coming to the Spring Ball, and- and I thought that maybe if the prince fell in love with me it would make a wonderful princess story and maybe the company wouldn't end and that was all, Miss Amaya."

Without lifting my head, I peered up at the woman. At first, she seemed shocked, then her eyes softened and her lips curled into a smirk. Moving with all the grace of a princess, she approached me and placed an arm around my shoulder. It did nothing to dispel my fear.

"Darling, that is just so _noble _of you. Now, I understand that the Disney name isn't as popular as it used to be, but I'm doing everything I can to bring exciting stories to the world. If you manage to win over this prince, I would be more than happy to make a documentary about you."

I was baffled. I always had it in my mind that Amaya was this horrible, evil woman with bad taste in films. But she was being… nice? "Thank you so much, Miss Amaya."

"Of course, Princess Lilium. Now, how about we go on a little walk? If you're going to be my next rising star, we need to discuss a few things." And before I could reproach, she lead me out the door, Alex gazing after us.

My instincts told me to run, but my mind told me stay. I may as well win her over early, I thought, instead of trying to prove myself later. I didn't want to do anything to push my luck, so I followed behind, letting her lead me to the Toontown Trolly. Toontown has always been one of my favorite parts of Disneyland because it's always bustling with activity. As we hopped on the trolly, I watched Donald Duck chase after his nephews, who were running away with his sailor's cap. I smiled, but Amaya's lips were curled like she'd just caught a whiff of something awful.

Now, I'm going to tell you another secret. Up until that day, I'd never actually met a Modern. I know, I know: how could I have such strong feelings about them when I'd never known one, I'm so judgmental blah blah blah. I'm horrible, I get it. But when the thing you love most begins to disappoint, you've got to put the blame on somebody. I chose to hate the monster, instead of its creator. That was just because I didn't know who the creator was. Nobody did, really.

"Where are we going, Miss Amaya?" I asked.

"I'm taking you next door to introduce you to a friend, my dear. Haven't you ever been to the other park?"

In my head, I said to myself, _Over my dead body! That's Modern territory!_ But I figured putting it that way would be unwise, so I softened it up a couple dozen notches. "No, Miss. I- I hadn't gotten around to it, I guess."

"Well, I'll just have to give you the grand tour then!"

_Oh. Wonderful._

It was a short ride to the park next door to Disneyland. A few years before I was born, it was built as an extension to the Kingdom. Much to the dismay of the few Classics who moved there, it ended up getting overrun by moderns. After the Disneyland residents rejected them, it was kind of the only place they had to go. That being said, I felt like I was betraying my own morals when I stepped off the trolly onto what must have been their Main Street. Instead of painted shop signs, though, there were billboards covered in colored lights, saying things like, "LIVE TONIGHT!" Looming above us was a grand but threatening building called The Hollywood Tower Hotel.

I tuned into what Amaya was going on about in time to hear her say, "And that over there is our Hyperion Theater. It's simply the most grand thing you'll ever see, Princess. Would you like to come have a look?"

It was sort of a silly thing of her to ask, because we both knew I had no say in the matter. Still, I decided to play along. "It would be lovely, Miss Amaya."

She smiled without her teeth, like she always does, and strode towards the theater. We went in through a back door that lead to the area in front of the stage. Taking in my surrounds, I realized Amaya wasn't exaggerating, the Hyperion was grand. Everything from the intricate carpets to the velvet curtains scream of elegance and style. However, something about it felt very empty, and I'm not just saying that because there was no one in the audience. I mean it felt like it was missing something, some sort of depth. It was beautiful, no doubt, but there was no love.

"Amay-may!" Squealed a girl, and I turned around in time to see a girl bounce like a puppy dog towards the front of the stage. She looked to be a few years younger than me, like she could still be in high school. A group of kids followed behind her, all of them smiling down with excitement at Amaya.

"Why hello, my sweets! It's wonderful to see all your beautiful faces again. How have you been settling in?"

"This place is awesome," said a boy with long hair, who positioned himself next to the eager girl. "We've been practicing our song all day; I think we have it down perfect."

"When is the audience coming to see us?" asked the girl, and I couldn't help but notice how eager she sounded, like a child that's been promised a new toy for behaving. Just when I was beginning to sympathize with these strange, overly-peppy Moderns, another one pushed her way to the front and pointed at me.

"Who's _she?"_

"This is Princess Lilium," said Amaya, and teenagers delved into a plethora of sniggers.

"I bet she's a fan. Time to put my all autograph practicing to good use!"

"Is she gonna join our crew or something? Um, no thanks."

"I wonder if she can even sing."

I swear, if I wasn't attempting to be a Princess (and had Amaya not been there) I would have given them a piece of my mind. I realized they thought they were being sassy in a cute way, but it was coming off as presumptuous and rude. I glared up at the group and they reclined away from my gaze, unable to understand why I looked so put out.

Amaya seemed to think this was a good time to get going, because she said, "The Princess and I were just popping in to say hello. We'll come again soon, though. Keep practicing my loves!" And with that, she lead me back outside just when the teens delved into an upbeat love song, complete with a dance number.

I was hoping this would be the end of the tour, but Amaya just kept leading me further and further away from the trolly, this time towards an inoperative carnival on a pier. I was thinking about poor Alex, who was probably worried sick about me back in the shop, when I heard a laugh. And it wasn't a fake giggle, like the ones I'd heard in the Hyperion. It was true, genuine laughter. I stopped dead in my tracks, letting Amaya wander ahead of me. Then I heard it again, directly below me.

I rushed to the ledge and looked down at the lagoon below. Normally, being so close to a a large body of water would leave me terrified, but I was far too shocked by what I saw to be afraid.

"Princess Christine!"

The young princess-turned-mermaid glanced upward, eyes widening when she recognized who I was and what I had seen. A merman who was definitely _not _from Atlantica or Neverland draped an arm over her shoulder and waved at me. "Why, hello!" he said, smiling brighter than the sun. A million questions ran through my mind, none of which I was able to vocalize. Who was he? Why was she there? Did the royals know? I just stood there, staring at the great-great-granddaughter of one of the most famous Disney Princesses of all time float next to her husband, a Modern.

All my questions were answered when Christine placed a finger against her lips in a "shh" motion and then dove under the water, her oblivious husband trailing after her.


	6. Chapter Five: Then it is Settled

**Hello again! This is a long one. Loooooong. So I'm going to be quick about this intro. Thanks for reading, hope you like it!**

**- Y.T.F.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I wish I could say that things didn't get worse, but they did. When she discovered I was no longer by her side, Amaya backtracked and found me staring at the water below. Mouth like cotton, I managed to say, "Do you have mermaids in your lagoon?"<p>

"Why of course! Where else would Cody Griffin's family live?"

"Who?" I said, unable to fake politeness in my shock.

"Cody Griffin, from _The Thirteenth Year_! It was the first documentary I worked on as president, so you may have been too young to remember."

"Yeah," I said, trying to swallow the dry away. My stomach was twisted into knots. "That must be it."

"His son, Gil, recently married that Ex-Princess, Christine." She smirked, looking like she had just won a bet. "She's such a lucky girl, getting to be with darling Gil."

_Oh yes, _I thought_, she really is very lucky, throwing away her crown and legs for a _Modern _of all people!_

"I'm glad you've taken such an interest in our Paradise Pier, Princess, but we must be moving along."

I pried myself away from the edge, dragging my feet behind Amaya. Although the sun was out that day, the emptiness of the carnival sent a chill down my spine. If Disneyland was quiet, this place was as soundless as space. I snapped my fingers and scraped my feet against the wooden planks, trying to do anything I could to make the air seem less empty. When we finished crossing the wharf and were on the boardwalk, Amaya took a seat on a faded bench.

I sat down next to her, having given up on pretending to be interested. I knew very well that my expression was void of all emotion, but I just couldn't bring myself to fake it. Which is saying something, seeing as it's sort of my specialty.

"Now, Princess," began Amaya, crossing her ankles and adjusting her skirt, "there are a few things we need to set straight before I sign you on for a documentary. The first thing we need to address is your image."

"My image?" I said, reaching a hand up to touch my face. She smacked it away, hissing something about grubby fingers causing blemishes. "What do you mean, Miss?"

"Surely you know," she said, voice returning to it's syrupy sweet tone. "Darling, haven't you ever looked in a mirror? And I mean really _looked."_

_ Oh. _Yes, I had. Sunburnt nose, acne chin, chapped lips, chubby cheeks, disproportionate features. I saw them all the time, but I always tried to remember Alex's words: confidence before beauty. However, the moment Amaya draped an arm over my shoulder it became a mere whisper in the backdrop of my mind.

"You've got the Plain-Jane thing going for you, but that's been done before. What the Prince and the _people_ want is someone exotic!" She stroked my hair with her manicured fingers, and I remained stiff as a board. She was confirming my worst fears: all the confidence in the world wasn't going to be enough to save Disneyland.

"But you're in luck, Princess!" she sang, pulling me close to her. "I want to do everything in my power to make your documentary as good as possible, so I'm going to help you." She sprung up from the bench, pulling me along with her. It was the most excited I'd ever seen Amaya, but I couldn't muster up the strength to mimic it. I knew she expected me to thank her, but the words caught on my tongue. I will admit, I had been looking forward to the day when I got a new haircut and went ball gown shopping with Abbie. This was different, though. I wondered if all those girls in the make-over scenes of movies felt as horrible as I did when their appearances were picked apart, scrutinized, and "fixed".

I let myself be pushed into a purple plush chair, surrounded on all sides by images of the Modern girls. Their songs floated through the air from invisible speakers, and I realized that it must be where they go to get ready for their documentaries. The front of the shop was one large window, so anybody who walked by would be able to see everything. Amaya rang gave a noisy wistle and called out, "Oh Mary-Ma-a-ay! I have a new project for you!"

A beautiful woman came floating through a curtain that lead to a back room. She was small, like Abbie, and had wavy brown hair that seemed to catch the light. She radiated perfection, and I felt in awe of her as she stood behind me, analyzing my reflection.

"Who is this? Another up and coming star?"

I jumped in quick this time, not wanting Amaya to do any more introductions for me. "My name is Lilium Quinton. It's lovely to meet you, Miss Mary-May."

But it was like she hadn't heard a word I said. She rotated my chair once, stopping every so often to do things like run her fingers through my hair or pinch at my cheeks. I felt like a doll - they don't have the privilege of personal space.

"What kind of look are we going for here, Amaya?"

"I want her to look _different_. We've seen everything from runway models to homely little girls like herself. Give me something new, something exciting!"

Mary-May grinned, showing her straight, white teeth. I kept staring at her, trying to find just one physical flaw. There were none. "This is going to be fun," she said, clapping her hands together. "I know plenty of things we could do with you."

Now I know what you're thinking: why on earth are you letting her do this to you? This goes against everything you stand for!

Look, I'm not proud of what I did. But I bet you if you were in my situation, you would have done the same thing. At the time, it seemed the entire fate hundreds of people rested on my attractiveness. Amaya was offering me guaranteed beauty, and I was willing to go to great lengths for that. So when Mary-May extracted a wand from her pocket, rather than I pair of hair sheers, I didn't even flinch.

She lifted my arm and ran her cool fingers up the length of it, grimacing and shuddering. "So - much - hair! I wish you would have warned me you were bringing me a descendant of the Matterhorn Yeti!" She gave her want a large wave and struck me on my arm, which instantly became hairless. When I looked up at my reflection, I found it wasn't the only thing that was bare - my head was also bald!

"M-my hair!" I croaked, but the woman paid me no mind.

"Fix her skin up," said Amaya, who was standing with her hand under her chin. "There's already been a fairest of them all, what we need is a _tannest _of them all."

Mary-May tapped the top of my head, a dark bronze color dribbling down my body like warm paint.

"Take off a few pounds and stretch her out."

I became an inch thinner and five inches taller.

"Widen her hips, cinch in her waist, and enlarge her breasts."

I went from a pear to an hourglass.

"Get rid of those chubby cheeks."

My childish, round face morphed into the heart-shaped face of a woman.

On and on it went. Just when I thought there was nothing more they could change, they found another flaw. I thought it would never end, until finally Mary-May sighed and asked, "What about her hair?"

"Blonde hair is just too generic," said Amaya, walking around the chair so she could view me from the front. "We've had three Princesses with blonde hair already; it's boring. Give her a nice blue-black, down to her waist and pin-straight."

One tap and a sleek curtain of hair slithered down my back, and I was complete.

I stared at the stranger in the mirror, who's blue eyes seemed oddly familiar. When I raised my hand, she raised her own, delicate fingers. When I touched my face, she touched hers, and we both gasped to discover how foreign it felt.

"What do you say to Mary-May?" cooed Amaya, helping me lift from my seat. I stumbled, since I couldn't figure out how to work these longer, leaner legs.

Tears pricked at my eyes and I whispered, "Thank you."

Amaya escorted me to the trolly, helping me climb the steps. My clothes were too short and too baggy, and even in my new, beautiful body I felt self-conscience. I sunk low in my seat and we chugged back towards Toontown, Amaya smiling with content.

"So, Princess, I was thinking that you don't even need to win over this silly prince. I don't think I like the whole Princess idea."

I looked up at her, startled. Was she suggesting that I…? No, I couldn't!

"You see, Darling, we have all those handsome boys back at the Hyperion who would just love to do sequels of their documentaries. I could move you right in, and then watch the sparks fly! Just image the love triangles!"

The trolly stopped, and I clamored off, trying to put as much distance between myself and the crazy woman who was suggesting the impossible.

"So what do you think, Princess? Have we got a deal?"

And then I sort of exploded. But not in the way I normally do, where punches are thrown and cusses fly everywhere. It was a much more subtle outburst, the only sign of the emotions I felt in the tips of my fingers, which were shaking. I turned around and brought myself to full height so Amaya and I were eye to eye. Then, there words dropped out of my mouth.

"I don't want to be another one of your Moderns."

And with that, I raced away, stumbling over my own feet. I heard her call after me, the self-satisfaction apparent in her voice. "That's fine with me! You can just kiss your documentary goodbye, Princess!"

I ran as fast as I could back to the shop, tears streaming down my cheeks. I had gone and blown everything. Even if I did become a princess, there would be no documentary, there would be no income, and there would definitely be no Disneyland. When I reached the door, I found myself unable to move. I could see Alex through the window, pacing back and forth, sparks spitting from his wand. I stood there, trying to mop the tears from my eyes so he wouldn't see. My new body made it impossible cry the way I used to, complete with shuddering sobs and a runny nose. Only one tear feel at a time, and I was unable to emit a sound.

Alex glanced up and saw me, standing outside and staring at him. Eyebrows raised, he strode through the doorway.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said, voice soft like it is with the customers. "Is there anything I can help you find? We just got a new shipment of-"

"Alex!"

I recall his eyes widening and then, in one fluid motion, him weaving his arm around my waist and racing us to the castle. When we reached the wooden door, he banged his fist against it, the doorman shouting in alarm when Alex pushed passed him, leading me up the stairs. We moved so fast the tingle of magic was twice as strong, throwing me into a sneezing fit that subsided the moment we reached the top. We burst through the doors and into the throne room, where all of the Royals were gathered to see each other off after their visit, luggage stacked near the entrance.

"Mister Lloyd!" gasped Lavinia, stepping forward with her hands folded in front of her. Mina cocked her head to the side and eyed me over, eyes squinted with curiosity. "What ever is the matter?"

"It's Lil!" he said, panting for breath. Some of the Disneyland Royals who were familiar with me gasped, and he pushed me forward so they could see me in full light. "You have to change her back!

Some of the Princesses covered their mouths in shock. Princess Lavinia moved faster than I'd ever seen before, running to help Alex guide me into a chair. My mind turned to pudding, and I sat their, useless, while the women flitted about in agitation.

"Why, you're the waitress!" exclaimed Glenda, kneeling so she could look at my eyes, the one part of me that Amaya and her accomplice were unable to change. I bobbed my head, unable to look away from Alex, who was pacing back and forth and running his fingers through his hair.

"What happened, dear?" asked Elise, tone of voice soft and concerned. The rest of the group quieted down, waiting to hear me speak. Alex stopped pacing and we communicated without talking for the second time that day. With one nod, he gave me the go ahead to tell them everything from the meeting, the Princess lessons, the moderns, and Mary-May's cosmetic magic. The only thing I left out was the part about Christine.

I spoke directly to my friend when I reached the bit about the trolly ride back. "I've gone and blown it, Alex," I said, lowering my head. "I'm so sorry."

A semi-circle of Princesses had formed around me, and they moved in closer so that each of them was giving me a gentle pat. I expected them to be upset with me for implementing information that was supposed to be classified, but the only thing I felt radiating from them was love. I guess when you're a Princess, you can't emit much else.

"Don't be sad," said Layla, voice as kind as her ancestor, Jasmine. "You've been so brave. Not many people would go so far to help us. You should be proud."

I shrugged my shoulders. It wasn't like I was doing it just for them, I had my own selfish reasons. And besides, what's the point of bravery when your efforts are in vain? The Princesses moved over to let Alex sit down on the arm of my chair. He stared at the empty space in front of him, mind far off. Two days in a row I caused him to plunge into one of his rare "moods", and I was beginning to miss his perpetual smile. The world felt a little colder without it. I leaned my head against his arm and whispered again, "I'm so sorry."

"Now, Mister Lloyd, Miss Quinton, I do not think all is lost," said Lavinia. "You're plan is brazen and almost unfeasible, but at least it is something. We would be glad to help you."

My head perked up, along with everyone else's. "But, Your Highness, Amaya is refusing to put out a documentary unless I do what she says."

"I think it is high time we reclaim what is ours," she said, growing more passionate than I'd ever witnessed. From behind her bred-to-be-perfect eyes came something I saw before but never stopped to admire - wisdom. "If Amaya wants to try to run the company to the ground, then that is fine. But we are not going to let our home be taken so easily. We will make a documentary ourselves, and we will do it better than she could ever dream of."

For a brief moment, everyone seemed to be suspended in a state of awe. Then, the other royals got ahold of themselves and began nodding. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and my eyes darted from face to face for confirmation that no, hope wasn't lost.

Alex, was the only one who still didn't look very pleased with the situation. He stood from the chair and addressed the Princess with such familiarity, it almost made me nervous. "I think we can all agree that the first thing we need to do is call in the fairies and change Lil back."

Jacqueline sized me up with her eyes, and then spoke in her heavy French accent. "I think Miss Quinton should stay this way. Now she is perfect." Alex whipped his head around so fast I thought he might break his neck.

"She was perfect before!" he snapped. I grabbed his wrist to pull him back towards me, afraid he would explode even further. I might have been able to handle his outbursts, but I was worried the royals were too fragile for that sort of thing.

"Alex, wait," I said, turning him around so he knew I was addressing him, and only him. "Look, I don't like it either. And I know you said confidence first and all, but if this body gives me a better chance chance of succeeding… I think I should stay."

I made sure not to break eye contact with him, because he seemed unable to look at any other part of me. My hands were still locked on his wrists, but with one sharp yank and I was forced to release him. He walked away from me so that he was standing next to Lavinia, arms crossed and narrowed eyes on the floor.

"Miss Quinton," began Lavinia, tone soft but serious, "I want you to know that, if you pervail, your whole life will change. You, your children, and your children's children will have to make constant sacrifices for the sake of tradition. Are you willing to put yourself through all that just to save this old, abandoned Kingdom?"

And that was when I realized that my appearance would be just one thing in a long line of obligations. I imagined my future completely changed, maybe for the worse, and tried to decide if it was all worth it. It took less than a second to decide.

"Your Highness, I would do _anything _for this place."

Her face, which had remained stoney since our arrival, broke into a small smile. "Then it is settled."


	7. Chapter Six: A Prince, Not You

**Hello, everyone! Sorry I've been away for a while, school has been absolutely crazy. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this. I've been scribbling down scenes in class as often as I can. Hopefully, I'll have another one up within this week. **

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy!**

**- Y.T.F.**

* * *

><p>As you've probably gathered, I'm not the best at dealing with things in a logical, mature way. I mean, that much was apparent when I told you I'm a Disneyland sweep who still lives with her parents. My dad always said I was the type who thought with her heart, and I think that's a pretty accurate statement. Whenever I try to go with my head, my I end up spinning around in circles and making a muck of things. So, I blame my brain for the way I handled telling my parents about my new body, which was not talking to them about it at all.<p>

That's right, I took the easy way and stayed away from the house until I knew my parents were fast asleep. Then I snuck in and passed out, figuring that when I left for work the next day I would leave without them seeing me. Lather, rinse, repeat until I thought of a good way to tell them. My plan would have worked, too, had I not overslept.

I knew something was wrong when the sun woke me up instead of my alarm. For a moment I just lied there, wondering why on earth it was so bright was usually it was still dark at four thirty in the morning. Then it hit me: I was late! Stumbling and swearing, I launched myself out of bed and ran down the stairs, teeth unbrushed, stomach empty, and still clad in my pajamas. Just when I reached the door, I heard a bloodcurdling scream from right behind me.

"Mom!" I yelled, turning on the spot to attack who or whatever frightened her. She stood before me, clad in her nightgown and hair curlers, trembling from head to toe. My dad raced in, half-dressed, holding his hairbrush like it was a deadly weapon. When I remember that moment, it always makes me laugh. I mean, what did he think he was going to do, brush me to death? I will admit, though, at the time I was pretty terrified so I threw my arms up over my head and screamed.

"Mom, Dad! It's me! It's Lil!"

I didn't expect it to work, but it did. I guess my parents weren't kidding when they said they would recognize me anywhere. My dad lowered the brush, and the fear in my mom's brown eyes melted into worry.

"Lil! What happened to you?" she said, hand clamped over her heart. She shuffled forward as if I was a dangerous creature. When she was about a foot away, she reached out a hand and touched my cheek, recoiling when it was, in fact, real. "You don't have your father's nose anymore!"

"I-I'll explain later. I'm late-"

"What are you talking about? It's a Saturday!"

_Oh. _I started dumbly at my parents, watching my mother's eyebrows migrate across her forehead so that they were knit together, her frown lines deepening.

_ "_You're not going anywhere until you sit down and explain to me what you did to yourself!" Just like when I was ten, she dragged me by the crook of my arm towards the kitchen, where she threw me into a chair and hung over me. She looked rather menacing, despite the curlers. My dad, always the tame one, stood further back, shaking his head and pouring a cup of coffee.

I'm a good liar. It's one of the only things I'm good at, actually. People like Abbie can't lie to save their lives, but I've developed a method. The trick is to never stray too far from the truth, just omit and change certain facts as needed. Do I feel bad about lying to my parents? A little. I never said I was perfect, though.

"Well, you see, I wanted to make it a surprise, but I guess the cat is out of the bag." I thought on my toes, going with the first lie that popped into my head. "I'm getting a promotion!"

_To Disney Princess!_

"To a job working alongside the royals."

_But I have to be attractive to this prince!_

"But I have to volunteer for cosmetic magic in order to be eligible."

_And_ _there's I'll fail and be out of a job!_

"And it's pretty much a shoo-in I'll get the raise."

"Will this new job pay better than the one you have now?" said my mom, lips pursed.

_I'll be paid in gold and move into a castle!_

"I'll be paid much more. Enough to live off of."

I knew I was off the hook when she sighed. My mother is a bit like a balloon when she's upset. She gets more and more full until she does one of two things - pops quick, loud, and violent, or releases slow, drawn out, and harmless. I let my mind slip away while she lectured me.

"Now, Lil, you know I've always told you that Disneyland is not a reliable place of work. Why, I went to see the newest film the other day and it was so awful I had to leave! I know, I know - you like _old _Disney. But these aren't old times, Lil! Just because something was great once doesn't mean it is anymore. I still wish you would have done like your old friends and gotten a _real _job or gone to college or even gotten married, but I guess if this is what you want to do, I'll have to support you. At least now we won't feel so bad when we move now that you-"

"_What?" _I yelped, snapping up from the chair and out of the rather pleasant daydream I had been having. "What do you mean 'when we move'?"

"I told you should wouldn't be happy about it!" my did said, taking a gulp of his beverage. My mom shot him a look. "Yes, but now she has nothing to be upset about, because she can either move with us or stay here and work. Isn't that right, Lil?"

For a moment I drew a blank, but it only took a second to compose myself. "Y-yeah," I said, gulping away the desert that had formed in my mouth. "When are you moving?"

"As soon as we sell this old place. Didn't you notice the for sale sign when you came in last night?"

No, I hadn't. I hadn't noticed a thing. My tiny, two-bedroom home always felt very permanent, like it would always be there. Now, everything was so uncertain it was as if the walls were beginning to cave in.

Trying to hold my head high, I excused myself and raced to the car, speeding down the road to the train station. The few people who were there raised their eyebrows at me, but I was too distraught to care. I was retracted into the very farthest corners of my mind, trying to make sense of everything. I was pulled out of my mind when the unfamiliar weekend conductor stepped in front of the train door.

"Excuse me, Miss, but you need a ticket to board," he said, watery eyes looking me up and down. "Tickets can be purchased-"

"What ticket?" I snapped, glaring at his round, red face. It was chilly out, and the wind whipped my hair in my face while I snatched my badge out of my bag and shoved it in front of his nose. "I'm an employee, see? Lil Quinton: Morning Custodian!"

He took it from my hand and scrutinized it before letting out an annoyed "pft!" and throwing it back to me. "That's not you!"

"What d'you mean it's not-" _Oh! _My fists dropped to my side and the engine let out a final whistle. I watched the conductor shake his head at me before climbing inside, the train chugging away. Of course the person in the picture wasn't me; I wasn't in Lil Quinton's body anymore. I was stupid Princess Lilium, looking lovely as a flower and feeling just as vulnerable as one. Vulnerability is not a feeling I enjoy.

Muttering curses under my breath, I threw my bag back onto my shoulder. _Fine! _I thought to myself. _I'll walk if I have to._

So that was how I got into the Kingdom: stomping along the tracks in my pajamas. I suppose it was a good thing, though, because by the time I reached the Main Street depot all the rage and melted away and the only thing I felt was cold. Wrapping my arms around myself, I ducked across the street and barged into the shop, stopping short and eyes widening at what I saw.

"Jimminy Cricket!" I gasped, stumbling backward. It looked like a flurry of fairies had flown through the shop and spilt a year's supply of pixie dust. Every surface of the shop was not just glittering, but _glowing_. It was a warm, happy light, but Alex, who was sitting on the floor at the center of a plethora of books, didn't look happy at all. When he heard my voice, he leaped off the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Lawrence, I promise I'll-"

"_What did you do?_"

Alex's vision must have come into focus, because he blinked twice and then said, "Oh, it's you." He brown eyes darted to my face before falling back to the floor with shame. "I was trying to cast a spell and just when I went to wave my wand… I sneezed."

"One sneeze and all this happens?"

"Uh-huh," he groaned, sitting back down on the ground. His hair, which he prided on keeping tidy, was sticking out every which way. His shirt was wrinkled and his plaid bow tie was askew. Taking a few tentative steps forward, I lowered to the floor as well, expecting a cloud of sparkles to form when I moved. When I reached the ground, though, I found that it wasn't _covered_ in the stuff, it was _made _of it. I brushed my hand across the tile and was startled to find it still had its usual bumpy texture.

"Lawrence is gonna kill you," I said, failing at making conversation. After a few moments, I picked up _Magical Methods for the Made-Up Maid _and flipped through the pages, seeing but not reading the words. We went on that way for a while, a thick, uncomfortable silence surrounding us. Less than a day had passed since our last real conversation, but it felt like a million years ago. I don't care much for silence, especially with Alex. It makes me uncomfortable. After a minute passed, I couldn't take it anymore and cleared my throat.

"My parents are moving," I said, and I felt Alex's eyes flick up. By the time I tried to make eye contact, though, he had returned to his book.

"Wow."

"Yeah. And not like moving to a bigger house down the street moving. I mean _moving _moving. Probably to the mountains. Mom's talked about it for forever, it was just one of those things I thought she would always talk about but never actually do, you know?" I babbled, discarding the book. "And now that my parents think I've got a decent job, they can leave me back here."

"Ah." I watched him squint at the page.

"I'm just worried that they'll move before we have all this Princess stuff settled. They've already found a house, now it's just a matter of selling ours. It could be a year from now, it could be tomorrow.

"Huh."

"I'm just so scared. I mean, now everything's so real. If I fail, I have nowhere to go. I'll be on the streets."

"Hmm."

"But then I guess I shouldn't complain. I mean, now I'm in the same boat as everyone else. I just sort of freaked out when they told me, you know?"

"Uh-huh."

I tilted my head and squinted my eyes at him, but he just kept looking through books, not even looking up from the floor when he switched to a new one.

"Alex."

"What?" His eyes still didn't budge.

"_Alex_." I scooted closer and poked him, hard, in the shoulder.

"What, Lil?" He turned himself so that he almost had his back to me.

"Alexander, would you please just look at me?" I demanded, slapping the book out of his hands. "You haven't said two words to me since I got here!"

His fists clenched and his gaze eased upward until our eyes locked. I'll admit, he was kinda scary looking, but I guess I'm more stubborn than I am cowardly because I refused to let him look away. We stayed locked in this sort of vicious staring contest for what seemed like ages, arms crossed and fists clenched. I could hear the distant rustle of the trees outside, and a cool draft was coming through the open door and giving me goosebumps. It just added to the strange coldness of the usually welcoming room.

At last, Alex spoke, his scowl remaining. "Do you feel any better?"

"What're you talking about?" I said. I had a bit of an idea what he was getting at, but I wanted to hear him say it.

"I mean now that you're different. Do you feel better about yourself?" Bingo.

"I feel the same," I said, very aware of the slight hint of malice in my voice. "Nothing has changed but my body. I'm still Lil."

"But do you feel confident? Now that all those things you didn't like are gone, do you feel better?"

Oh great, he just had to go _there _again, always harping on about confidence. How was I supposed to know? As far as I was concerned, everything was the same. I was still boring me, just with a different face. I always thought being taller, smaller, _better _would make everything easier, but it hadn't. I guess in the long run, how you look has nothing to do with how you feel about yourself. I didn't want to say that, though. I don't like it when Alex is right about things.

"I feel fine. I don't care about being confident or happy with myself, all I want to do is work hard so that neither of us end up homeless," I said. "I don't understand what you're so upset about, anyways."

Alex seemed to struggle for air, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. "I-I just think it's stupid that you'd want to stay like- like _that! _You looked fine before!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I said, tone thick with sarcasm. "I was under the impression you were my friend for reasons other than my strikingly _fine_ looks!"

"Of course I was- of course I am!"

"Then what's the big deal?"

"I'm just not used to it, Lil!"

"Well get used to it," I spat. "Because I'm trying to win over a prince, not you."

I know, it was harsh. But I just had to say it. It must have worked, too, because after that his entire demeanor softened. He wasn't looking at me like I was a stranger or an intruder, just released me from his stare and returned to his books. The silence was still there, but less stiff. I glanced around at the room, having forgotten that I was sitting on a sparkling floor in my pajamas. After a moment of admiring my friend's (accidental) handiwork, I wobbled to my feet and eased one of the many books onto my head. I couldn't even keep it there even when I stood still.

"Hey, Alex?" I quipped, and without hesitation he looked up at me. "What was it the posture book said about standing? I can't remember a thing."

Then he smiled at me, and I realized all was forgiven


End file.
